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Contamination

Dead Instinct

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Can be read as a standalone or companion to the Contamination series...!

Don't trust what you eat. Don't trust what you drink. The infection is spreading...


In a world plagued with violence and infection, Ken and Roberta Smith want nothing more than to find their son. Having been on the road for four days, they must now cross the remaining three hundred miles of desert wasteland to get to him.

Isaac Smith has been trapped in Phoenix since the infection began. The city is virtually impassable, and the infected are everywhere. Will he escape the carnage around him? Or will he die in the city he once called home?

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 29, 2014

172 people are currently reading
229 people want to read

About the author

T.W. Piperbrook

111 books393 followers
T.W. Piperbrook lives in Connecticut with his wife and son. He is the author of the CONTAMINATION series, the OUTAGE series, and co-author of THE LAST SURVIVORS, as well as the author of THE RUINS. In his former lives, he has worked as as a claims adjuster, a touring musician, and a business systems analyst for a Fortune 500 company.

Now he spends his days fighting zombies, battling werewolves, and roaming Ancient cities.

For NEW RELEASE ALERTS AND A FREE STORY, sign up for the author's mailing list at: http://eepurl.com/qy_SH

LIKE him on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/twpiperbrook

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5 stars
255 (55%)
4 stars
131 (28%)
3 stars
63 (13%)
2 stars
5 (1%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Chris Lira.
286 reviews9 followers
October 30, 2017
Reading this sort of felt like watching a once-decent TV show, now in its 9th or 10th season. Just sort of plodding along, having run out of ideas. And in this book, it was characters we have met onky for a very few pages in previous installments, so we didn't even have the comfort of known characters.

All in all this series is OK. Not bad, not great. The premise underlying the whole apocalyptic event is beyond absurd so that taints it. There's not much character development; it's like watching an action movie where the emphasis is on the gun fire and explosions, and the people are just a vehicle for that, rather than the other way around. Meh.
Profile Image for Laurie C..
165 reviews5 followers
March 10, 2019
CONTAMINATION: Dead Instinct

This story grabs you and squeezes the stomach and knots your heart up, I know, I wrote it backwards. True enough this story of a father trying to get to his son, with no small amount of trouble either! His son thinking he's all alone in the undead filled world, and is trying hard just to stay alive. Tugged at my intense meter, at times I think neither would survive. Great as a standalone, not here! I have to read more of Ken and Issac!
Profile Image for Albert Yates.
Author 17 books5 followers
July 28, 2021
This was a great book but I was let down by it. Every other book in the series had a little epilogue to wrap things up. This one didn't so I can only assume things ended badly and the author didn't have the heart to tell us. 😀

I love this series and the characters. But I probably could have gone the rest of my days without knowing more about Ken and Roberta. While they served a purpse earlier in the series they just don't seem to fit in the bigger picture now.
128 reviews3 followers
November 20, 2025
Was it the "Luck of the Irish?"

They both started off with a guess, hope, and a little moxie. They travelled through the unimaginable, the horror and the degradation of humankind when they are pushed beyond their limits. The there were the one who started it all, they didn't want any loose ends, and they were definitely loose ends. Hunted by the living, hungered by the dead, who would get them first?
Profile Image for Julie Powell.
Author 72 books324 followers
August 24, 2019
Another good fast-paced story in this finale of the series. It's well-written with relatable characters and a definite sense of place. It also demonstrated the awfulness of human behaviour, though some decency was left in a few...very few.

A gruesome tale yet enjoyable all the same.

Recommended.
Profile Image for Amy Wright.
21 reviews
November 5, 2016
Well written and enjoyable!

Another enjoyably read, have read ever contamination book and glad I have!
Would like a little more variation in the stories, but all in all a very good series!
19 reviews1 follower
March 31, 2019
Thrilling

Keeps you entertained. I find myself yelling at the characters for being stupid some of the automotive references need to be checked though. All of his books are great reads.
Profile Image for gloria marquardt.
732 reviews7 followers
August 11, 2019
I really liked this book.

I don't like zombie books and a lot of gore. This book has neither. Although you shouldn't be allowed to kill off your main characters this book was about surviving, believing you can, and faith that things can get better.
127 reviews1 follower
April 8, 2020
Love everything this author has written

Every book he has written it has kept me glued to the book. I don't even watch TV anymore because I've been reading his books. Highly recommended you won't be sorry.
29 reviews
November 6, 2024
short and sweet

Too bad the ladies tend to die more than the gents!
The author gets better the more he writes… I’ve read other titles coauthored with another (Bobby A); more developed characters & storylines!
11 reviews
January 8, 2018
This book had too many creatures to my liking. BUT it was on the edge type reading.
29 reviews
January 26, 2018
Great books they were all good .

This author should receive an award for the work he has did. Can’t wait for the next series comes through
Profile Image for Carmel McKenzie.
533 reviews5 followers
July 30, 2018
Good

I hope you write more books like these. Just wondering why the virus didn't but the other states. Maybe that was state two and the architect was killed.
3 reviews
April 1, 2019
Great book series!

Awesome series, love that he followed many of the characters in other books in the series. I can’t wait to read more of his books.
Profile Image for Victor Muron.
39 reviews1 follower
July 27, 2019
Ok read,

Slow to start but picks up later, a bit like description but easy reading not really a page burner but ok


227 reviews1 follower
August 26, 2019
Outstanding

The way the survivors are being reunited with each other is great. Thank you for bringing them back. As a stand alone this book was good.
5 reviews
January 24, 2020
Fun reads

I’ve pretty much all of his books in the last two weeks and I’ve had a blast doing so! Thanks for the good time, sir-I can’t wait to read more!
113 reviews
August 22, 2015
Contamination

This was an interesting and plausible reason for the spread of the disease. One I hadn't heard before and I read a lot of Z.A. novels. I liked that!

***spoilers*** maybe
What happened to Kate was satisfactory in the way that it is what one would expect to happen to someone who does something so foolish. However, I wish that it happened in a different way. Like perhaps she convinces him to take her home to grab something important before they leave town only to discover that thing is her sister. We already have to suspend reality to believe that Isaac will reunite with his parents, now we have to do it again for her and her sister? I mean, its not exactly Littleville, USA population 400. It's the largest city in the state...at the end of the world...with ravenous beasts chasing you, not to mention murderous agents!
Profile Image for Darlene.
502 reviews26 followers
July 10, 2015
Action at its best

As I reviewed the previous books in the series, I noted I was not a fan of zombie stories and didn't read the intro when I got the first box set for free. But, the endurance and the humanity of the characters grew on me. To be 'punny', it was infectious. I tore through the series with great gusto and hope for the characters that you couldn't help but root for. Although, this book can be read as a stand alone novel, I think it should have been book 7. I never tired from all the action. If you want to get your blood pumping read these books!
Profile Image for Rosann.
302 reviews
August 1, 2016
your books are so good...I love how you bring your characters to life and make them dimensional, where they can leap off the pages ( almost) like opening a "pop up" book.

Some other authors should really pay attention to your writing and learn from it on "how to bring life to your characters" <--- Angela White ( author) you really need to study Mr Piperbrooks.

Cant wait to get into book 2 in this series, read more on Ken and his son Issac !
3 reviews
September 13, 2014
Contamination: TW Piperbrook

I just can't get enough of this series! I love that each is broken up by characters, so you really have a chance to get connected to each person. Love, Love, Love!!!!
14 reviews
March 9, 2015
Riveting from beginning to end!

We revisited some good old friends and learn their fate, and leave us with a cliffhanger, biting our nails. Very good story from beginning and I was turning the pages as fast as I could, can't wait for the next one.
149 reviews
October 6, 2014
My only criticism is that these books are just way too short.
No sooner then the story gets started and it's finished.
That said it was good to learn the fate of characters briefly met in a pervious book.
I only wish he'd write a 400-500 page single book to get your teeth into.
Profile Image for Ynda.
29 reviews2 followers
January 29, 2015
Ending?

Kind of disappointed in the ending. I could see it coming from the beginning but I thought the story line would go a little further to answer some lingering questions. Unfortunately, the ending was a little cliche in my opinion.
Profile Image for Donna Lavalley.
111 reviews5 followers
October 10, 2016
Father and son

I chose the rating because I loved the book. I loved how the book ended. I also liked how the bond of remembering each other help them out. I recommend this book to everyone that loves Zombie book. Remember to read the other books in the series too.
Profile Image for Dawn Taylor.
259 reviews
November 24, 2014
Another great one

I really loved this book and I can't wait for the next. contamination is one hello of a series that will keep you spellbound with every turn of the page.
Profile Image for Theresa.
216 reviews26 followers
November 26, 2015
Awesome!! I've been to Pittsburgh so I could relate to where the characters were at. I look forward to the next one!
80 reviews2 followers
January 8, 2016
Loved it

Really enjoyed this series, very good writing and great story line. Can't wait to read more. Pulls you right in
1 review
May 27, 2016
So real

I chose this rating because it felt real and contained all emotions all emotions that a book should. Felt like I was a part of it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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